NBRF news, events, and updates delivered to your inbox.

(And always available on our website at NEWS - Newsletters)

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS:

If you have MOVED in the past year, please update your mailing address.

We will be mailing our Year End Printed Newsletter in December.

We need your mailing address update NO LATER than November 15th.

Send updates/changes/corrections to LesleyNBRF@gmail.com

We are excited to announce our

Annual Holiday Auction!

The NBRF Holiday Auction is our biggest fundraiser each year. Historically, its proceeds represent 30% of our overall yearly income to fund rescue efforts on both the Domestic and International fronts. Your participation is key! The auction will again be hosted on Facebook. We know this limits who can participate in bidding because not all of our supporters and readers are on Facebook. We wish there were another way. (And believe us, we've looked!) The fact of the matter is, Facebook is the most cost-effective mechanism to host this event as they do not require payment for hosting nor a percentage of the proceeds. It is always our objective for EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR raised to be used in support of the dogs.

At the time of this writing, there are a total of 17 dogs in our care. Many are being fostered while we address their medical needs and/or look for their PERFECT forever home. Several of that number are "Forever Fosters" as their age or condition, medical or therapeutic needs will continue to be met and supported by NBRF for the rest of their lives.

REAL TALK: It's been an incredibly expensive year and we need a GREAT auction. That's where YOU come in.

We are accepting DONATIONS

Many times, folks believe the donation has to be borzoi specific. It does not! Our bidders love dogs and dog related items in excellent condition move well. Our bidders love lovely things. Your donation could be Aunt Eunice's 4-piece crystal stemware that was brought to your house for Thanksgiving in 1972 and just never left. (Of course, check first with Aunt Eunice before reaching out to NBRF. We couldn't bear the thought of having her upset with us.) Here's the deal, if you have a skill, a craft, a sculpture, a statue, an art piece, a tchotchke, a quilt, or an entire COLLECTION you'd like to donate to support this honorable cause, please contact Kate Watts via email at katenbrf@gmail.com. She is friendly and warm and charming and happy to give you information on how to get your donation listed!

And now the debut of a (potential) new column...

NBRF is committed to telling our readers the good, the bad, and the ugly. We share our successes. We share our heartbreaks. We keep you abreast of our pressing needs. It is our hope we can also make you laugh from time to time. We thought it would be nice to offer a humorous perspective on life, dogs, and rescue. This column will be peppered randomly into our Borzoi Bulletin...unless you hate it.

Then you'll never see this sucker again.

Welcome to

The Lighter Side with Lesley

Every organization needs a useful idiot. I am ours; and I am TOTALLY okay with that.

I have always been a dog lover. I do not recall a single time of my life without a dog in it. Nine years ago, I got my first borzoi and have never looked back. I hope to never spend another day without this breed.

Obviously, I consider myself a "dog person."

Oh, little did I know how very little I do know. (This is called foreshadowing...)

You see, I now know I am a dog person (lowercase); but I’m not a DOG PERSON (ALL CAPS). Frankly, I didn’t recognize the enormous chasm between those two until I began working with NBRF. I am surrounded by extremely knowledgeable teammates. Each of these ladies is a DOG PERSON and I basically serve as their comic relief.

And they still let me write stories! How awesome is that?!

_____

An excerpt from the conversation after my first collection of a surrendered dog:

Teammate: Well how old is she?

Me: I don’t know. She didn’t tell me.

Teammate: Did you look in her mouth?

Me: For what?

Teammate: Did you check her teeth to see approximately how old she is?

Me: (lightbulb appears) Ohhhh, ok. Yeah, sorry but you’ve got the wrong girl for that. If I looked in her mouth, I could tell you: 1) She definitely HAS teeth -OR-

2) Nope, just gums in there.

Teammate: Do you know how many teeth a borzoi is supposed to have?

Me: Listen. Let me just say that she could get through a steak...EVEN if it was overcooked, OK? So, stop with the teeth already.

Teammate: (laughing)

_____

From an interview with a teammate in preparation for a story I was writing:

Teammate: We got the report from the vet and <medical word, expensive procedure, list of prescriptions, current diagnosis, medical word, medical word, theory of events, medical word, potential therapies> ...and then he'll need crate rest.

Me: (taking notes feverishly)

Teammate: Lesley?

Me: I’m so sorry. Was there a question there?

Teammate: Ummm YES.

Me: OK! I understood “crate rest.” Please say all of that again… but pretend I am 7 years old. I wouldn’t be offended if you sent coloring book sheets to aid in my understanding.

Teammate: (laughing)

_____

From the follow-up call after I'd taken possession of an international rescue from a transport professional:

Teammate: Did you feel his balls?

Me: (...crickets...)

Teammate: Did you feel the dog's balls?

Me: No. We literally *just* met.

Teammate: Did you run your hands over his body?

Me: Yes. Yes, I did.

Teammate: But you didn’t feel his balls... to make sure it's plural?

Me: No, I did NOT.

Teammate: I guess I just automatically do that.

Me: Historically, I’ve waited until after the 3rd date.

Teammate: (laughing)

Authored by Lesley Ohmann, Communications Coordinator and Court Jester

If you had strong feelings about this, feel free to reply to NewsNBRF@gmail.com.

We LOVE feedback! ....no, really!!

Frequent Fosterers FINALLY Meet Their Match

The headline seems sensational (meant to arouse a quick, intense reaction; provoke)

It is actually sensational (exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great!)

Positioned in the Midwest, sighthound savvy, willingness to open their hearts and homes, flexible schedules, commitment to the cause; The Turner Family has served as a great transition point for rescued borzoi on the east coast. On several occasions, they have accepted a transition foster who had originally come to NBRF in abysmal condition, in need of significant medical care, would fare better in a different climate, and/or in need of additional socialization before being placed.

Lisette was all of those things!

Lisette was found wandering the streets of New Orleans. Neglect and an untreated skin allergy had stripped her of her beautiful Borzoi. NBRF volunteer Annette took time from her vacation to spring Lisette from the shelter and transport her to foster home. NBRF volunteer Chiaki fostered, treated, and brought this sweet girl back to good health. NBRF volunteer Steve provided a layover and then nearly 600 miles to transport this girl to the Turner Family to "complete the foster process."

Well they completed it alright!

Miss Lisette, the naked street urchin. is now a very lovely Lizzie and she is IN her forever home. She fell in love with the Turners and the Turners fell in love with her.

Sometimes the stars just align and the right dog meets the right family at the right time.

We couldn't possibly be more pleased to announce these

Frequent Fosterers are FAILURES!

They truly met their match.

For your convenience and reading pleasure, all NBRF newsletters can be viewed at any time on our website under the NEWS tab at

NEWS | Mysite (rescueborzoi.org)